Create Online Energy.

Regularly meeting new people who’ve contacted me to meet-up brings a vibrancy to these emails that I hadn’t predicted. I’m usually on a high on the return walk where I’m jotting down tips or ideas discussed or topics that have reappeared from other conversations – showing these topics are something I’m wanting to explore or refine.

I’ve found 1-2 hours a week to meet new people without an agenda provides an invaluable space to reflect, think out loud, learn, connect with relevant people and open up.

We chat about things like self driving cars transporting mini veggie gardens (!!), new local eateries, improving mental health via new platforms, the richness of human connections, what’s happening in Australia and internationally in the digital / business / customer experience / service design / innovation / blockchain / growth hacking / future arenas, how to help each other’s work, make helpful business contacts and so much more.

In the past I’d take time to check my diary for free space, research and evaluate meeting someone. Now that time is spent in the meeting discussion – made even easier by sending my Calendly link so others organise the meetings – GOLD! Sometimes I research the person online as I’m walking to the meeting, sometimes I don’t – there’s always connections to make.

In some of the meeting I may have the LinkedIn app open to connect them with relevant people on the spot so I’ve nothing to do afterwards. “Breeeeathe…”

Often we’ll be so fascinated with a variety of topics that we leave each other with a hug and a massive grin.

If you’re thinking about Calendly, here are my setup tips ~

(Calendly is linked to my Google Calendar via my gmail account)

Make the link fun & engaging for people. In my Description/Instructions I’ve added: “Go to Patricia’s on the corner of Little Bourke and Little William Streets (www.patriciacoffee.com.au) and I’ll magically appear. I’m [my phone number] if you need me. “magically appear” is thanks to Matt Allen – it works!

I’ve up to 2 coffee meetings a week.

45 minute meetings – for focus (with transit, it’s roughly an hour).

Ask for the person’s phone number in the meeting setup.

Meeting venue is one I love + available times are when the cafe is quieter = shorter queues and more space.

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Rejection Therapy!

Jules Lund is fast-becoming the Aussie-accented @GaryVee which is great to see. Yesterday’s short video showed the surprising gains from having regular courage to request things from others and open up. Who knows what could happen! GO!